Dual Bootings

A computer can be configured to let you choose between two or more operating systems each time you restart the computer. With multibooting, you can choose which operating system to run or specify a default OS if no selection is made during the restart process.

Computers Containing Multiple Windows 2000 or Windows XP Partitions
Before installing Windows 2000 and Windows XP on the same machine, you need to prepare your system with different partitions (a process that divides a hard disk into separate sections that can be formatted for use by a file system. Partitions typically have different drive letters such as C or D).
One OS per partition
It’s important to install each operating system on a different partition and install the applications used with each operating system on the same partition as the OS. If an application is used with two different operating systems, install it on two partitions. Placing each operating system in a separate partition ensures that it will not overwrite crucial files used by the other OS.

Install Latest OS Last
In general, you should install the most recent OS last—after you have installed all other operating systems on the target computer. In this case, you should install Windows 2000 and then install Windows XP.

Unique Computer Name
You can set up a computer so that it has multiple installations of Windows XP on multiple partitions. However, you must use a different computer name for each installation if the computer participates in a Windows 2000 Server domain. Because a unique security identifier (SID) is used for each installation of Windows XP on a domain, the computer name for each installation must be unique—even for multiple installations on the same computer.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows 2000 and Windows XP, review the following guidelines:

Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.
Install Windows XP after you have installed Windows 2000.
When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default, the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. You can specify a different partition during Setup.
Don’t install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with the NTFS file system compression feature.
On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or e-mail software, after Setup is complete.
Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to install separate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.
If the computer is on a Windows 2000 Server domain, each installation of Windows XP on that computer must have a different computer name.

Computers Containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP
Setting up a computer to run Windows XP as well as an earlier operating system such as Windows NT Workstation 4.0 requires addressing compatibility issues among different file systems: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32.

Normally, NTFS is the recommended file system because it supports important features, including the Active Directory™ service and domain-based security. However, using NTFS as the only file system on a computer that contains both Windows XP and Windows NT is not recommended. On these computers, a FAT or FAT32 partition containing the Windows NT 4.0 operating system ensures that when started with Windows NT 4.0, the computer will have access to needed files. In addition, if Windows NT is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, it is recommended that the system partition also be formatted with FAT. This is because earlier operating systems, with one exception, can’t access a partition if it uses the latest version of NTFS. The one exception is Windows NT version 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later, which has access to partitions with the latest version of NTFS, but with some limitations.

Even the latest Service Pack does not provide access to files using the new features in NTFS. Windows NT 4.0 cannot access files that have been stored using NTFS features that did not exist when Windows NT 4.0 was released. For example, a file that uses the new encryption feature won’t be readable when the computer is started with Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, which was released before the encryption feature existed.

Note: If you set up a computer so that it starts with Windows NT 3.51 or earlier on a FAT partition, and Windows XP on an NTFS partition, when that computer starts with Windows NT 3.51, the NTFS partition will not be visible.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP, review the following guidelines:

As explained above, using NTFS as the only file system on a computer containing both Windows XP and Windows NT is not recommended.
Make sure that Windows NT 4.0 has been updated with the latest released Service Pack available for download before installing Windows XP.
Install each operating system on a separate drive or disk partition.
When you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), by default, the installation is placed on a partition on which no other operating system is located. You can specify a different partition during Setup.
Don’t install Windows XP on a compressed drive unless the drive was compressed with the NTFS file system compression feature.
On any partition where you perform a new installation of Windows XP (as opposed to an upgrade), you will need to re-install any programs, such as word processing or email software, after Setup is complete.
Install the programs used by each operating system on the partition with that system. If you want your programs to run with multiple operating systems, you need to install separate copies of the programs in each of the operating system partitions.
If the computer is on a Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server domain, each installation of Windows XP on that computer must have a different computer name.

Computers Containing MS-DOS or Windows 9x and Windows XP
As explained above you need to address file system compatibility to ensure a multibooting configuration with these earlier operating systems and Windows XP. Remember to install the latest operating system last otherwise important files may be overwritten.

Checklist Summary
To configure a computer containing Windows XP and Windows 9x or MS-DOS, review the following guidelines:

On computers that contain MS-DOS and Windows XP:

MS-DOS must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT. If MS-DOS is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.
On computers that contain Windows 95 and Windows XP:

As in the case above, Windows 95 must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT. (For Windows 95 OSR2, FAT32 may be used.) If Windows 95 is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT (or FAT32 for Windows 95 OSR2).
Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes won’t be available while you are running Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes that you will access only with Windows 95.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.
On computers that contain Windows 98 (or Windows ME) and Windows XP:

As in the cases above, Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition (ME) must be installed on a basic disk on a partition formatted with FAT or FAT32. If Windows 98 or Windows ME is not installed on the system partition, which is almost always the first partition on the disk, the system partition must also be formatted with FAT or FAT32.
Compressed DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes won’t be available while you are running Windows XP. It is not necessary to uncompress DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes that you will access only with Windows 98.
Windows XP must be installed last. Otherwise important files needed for starting Windows XP could be overwritten.

Installation and How to :

The order of installation is critical if you want a successful multiboot installation. In general terms, install non–Microsoft operating systems and earlier versions of the Windows operating system first. This would mean installing UNIX or Linux operating systems first; then Windows 95 or Windows 98 or Windows Me; then Windows NT; and finally, Windows 2000 and/or Windows XP. (In the unlikely event that you’re installing MS–DOS, you can install that either before or after UNIX– or Linux–based operating systems, and generally I’d opt for before.) It’s also important to understand that, without using a third–party product to help out, you can’t install non-Microsoft operating systems, or Windows 95 and Windows 98 on the same computer, and that you can install only a single version of Windows95/98/Me. But you can install as many different versions of Windows NT and later versions of the Windows operating system as you have available logical drives, with the sole caveat that you must install all Windows NT versions before you install any Windows 2000 or Windows XP versions.

Let’s take a typical installation. Our target computer must be able to boot into Windows 98, Windows NT 4 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Professional. We have a 2–GB partition to hold our programs and the whole thing must fit on a single 10–GB hard drive. No problem. First, we partition the hard drive into two partitions: a 2–GB primary partition, and an 8-GB extended partition using FDisk. In the extended partition, we’ll create four logical volumes—D, E, F and G—to hold our remaining operating systems and our programs.

After the disk is partitioned, format the primary partition using the FAT16 file system and install Windows 98 on it. So far so good. Now, format your D drive with FAT16 as well. Eventually, you’ll install your programs on D drive.

Next, install Windows NT 4 Workstation. You will install this on any of the logical volumes not already used (either E drive, F drive or G drive) and choose NTFS as your file system. Leave D drive alone, because your applications go there where they’re visible to all operating systems. When you install Windows NT, it recognizes that you already have Windows 98 on the computer. Then it automatically sets up for dual booting between Windows 98 and Windows NT by creating a boot.ini file, which creates a menu of available operating systems. After you have Windows NT 4 installed, immediately apply Service Pack 6, before you install Windows 2000.

Finally, install Windows 2000 and Windows XP, each in its own logical volume. Again, choose NTFS as the file system. As you install them, they are automatically added to the boot.ini file on your C drive, which lets you choose operating systems at start

FDISK Tutorial

The Basics of Fdisk:
Primary partitions are the only one that are bootable. They’re always the C: drive when active. Normally you can only have one (more with some special tricks etc.) Extended partitions are needed when you want more than one partition. You can only have ONE Extended partition. Logical Drives come into the Extended partition. They are handy since you know that you can only have one Primary and one Extended so you can get more than only two partitions. They would be your D:, E:, etc. drives.

First you need to reboot your system with the Boot Disk inserted.

1.At the A: prompt start “FDISK.”

2.If asked to use Large Disc support say Yes.

3.The first screen looks like this:

Create Dos Partition or Logical Drive
Set Active Partition
Delete Partitions or Logical DOS Drives
Display Partition Information
Change current fixed drive. (In case you have two or more Hard Drivess)
So, to prepare you hopefully did a backup from your data. You did, didn’t you ?!

4.Next we need to remove the existing partitions. So go to 3.

5.Next screen like this:

Delete Primary DOS
Delete Extended DOS
Delete Logical Drives
Delete Non-DOS
Delete always in the following order

Logical (All) > Extended > Primary (Last)

6.Go back to first screen after all partitions have been removed.

7.Now we need to setup our new partitions. Go to 1.

This screen looks like this:

Create Primary DOS
Create Extended DOS
Create Logical DOS Drives
Here we create in the following order

Primary > Extended > Logical Drives.

8.First create the Primary. If asked to use all space say No and enter the amount you wish for the C: drive. It should be set automatically to be the (only) Active partition. If not it may ask you or you have to select “2. Set active partition” from the main menu.

9.Next create the Extended Partition. Use all space left.

It probably advances automatically to the next step, creating the Logical DOS Drives.

10.Enter the amount you wish for the D: partition and than the rest for the third partition.

Think first about the size for the partitions.

OK now we’re finished with FDISK so just exit it. Next you need to reboot with the disc still inserted and Format all partitions (the C: partition might need to be formatted with “format c: /s”, check the Win95 tip). Another reboot and you can go ahead and install  Windows.

How to Convert FAT to NTFS file system

To convert a FAT partition to NTFS, perform the following steps.

Click Start, click Programs, and then click Command Prompt.

In Windows XP, click Start, click Run, type cmd and then click OK.

At the command prompt, type CONVERT [driveletter]: /FS:NTFS.

Convert.exe will attempt to convert the partition to NTFS.

NOTE: Although the chance of corruption or data loss during the conversion from FAT to NTFS is minimal, it is best to perform a full backup of the data on the drive that it is to be converted prior to executing the convert command. It is also recommended to verify the integrity of the backup before proceeding, as well as to run RDISK and update the emergency repair disk (ERD).

Windows genuine

start > run > “regedit” (without the quotes of course)

go to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WPAEvents\OOBETimer

…and doubleclick on it. Then change some of the value data to ANYTHING ELSE…delete some,
add some letters, …just change it!

now close out regedit.

go to start > run > “%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a” (again, dont type the quotes)

the activation screen will come up, click on register over telephone, then click on
CHANGE PRODUCT KEY, enter in this key: JG28K-H9Q7X-BH6W4-3PDCQ-6XBFJ.

Diagnose and repair hibernation problems

My Vista laptop kept losing its Internet connection when it came out of sleep mode. It turns out that the problem was related to the Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) Client service, or dhcpcsvc.dll, which tried to rewrite routing information to the network store interface. This caused a failed write operation that deleted the routing information.

Microsoft released the fix for the problem last September, though the patch didn’t find its way onto my notebook until several months later. The machine’s network link still hiccups for a few seconds when it comes out of sleep mode, but eventually, it restores the Internet connection on its own.

While this and other Windows patches won’t address all the sleep and hibernation problems afflicting Windows users, your first step in solving problems with the operating system’s power-saving modes is by downloading and installing the latest updates via the Windows Update service.

Here’s a rundown of the most common glitches related to Windows’ sleep and hibernation modes, and possible fixes.

Activate hibernation
If your PC has lost the ability to hibernate, you may have deleted your hibernation file when you ran Vista’s Disk Cleanup utility. Regardless of why your system balks at entering hibernation mode, you can re-enable the feature via the Command Prompt: right-click the Command Prompt (it’s located under Accessories on the Start menu), and choose Run as Administrator.

At the prompt, type powercfg -a and press Enter. You’ll see a list of all the hibernation modes your system supports. Type powercfg -h on and press Enter to activate hiberation, or powercfg -h off to deactivate the function.

Keep the Hibernation File Cleaner option unchecked in Vista’s Disk Cleanup utility to retain your PC’s ability to hibernate.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Check Vista’s power settings
In Vista, press the Windows key, type power options, and press Enter. Click “Change when computer sleeps” in the left pane, select “Change advanced power settings” at the bottom of the Edit Plan Settings dialog box, and click the plus sign to the left of Sleep to view your sleep and hibernate options. If the Hibernate option is missing from the Start menu’s shut-down section, change the “Allow hybrid sleep” setting to Off.

Make sure Vista’s “Allow hybrid sleep” option is off to place a Hibernate option on your shut-down menu.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Update your video driver
A common source of Vista hibernation woes is an out-of-date video driver. Slowly, video card makers are updating their drivers to work smoothly with Vista. Go to the Web site of your video adapter vendor, and look on its Support or Downloads page for an update to your model’s driver. To find out which video card your PC uses, press the Windows key, type device manager, and press Enter. Click the plus sign to the right of Display adapters to view the model(s) installed in your system.

Look in the Event Viewer
To open Vista’s Event Viewer, press the Windows key, type event viewer, and press Enter. Check the error logs for one occurring when the hibernation glitch struck. Search the Web for information about the Event ID, or click the Event Log Online Help link to go to a Microsoft Help and Support page.

Tweak to Speed up Internet Explorer:

To be compliant to the standard, Internet Explorer limits the number of connections to one web server.
Depending on the type of server, the number of connections is limited to 2 or 4.

This tweak removes this limit. Note that your browser will no longer be compliant. But it will be lots faster.
The tweak

Go to the registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

Look for the following values:

MaxConnectionsPerServer
MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server

If they don’t exist, create them as DWORD values.

Set these values to the number of simultaneous connections you want to allow. A good value is 50.

Boot Disk Error / Bios Error

This issue is often caused by either an incorrect setting in BIOS or a bad boot device, such as a bad hard disk drive.

This error can be caused by one or more of the below possibilities.

1. Floppy or CD that is not bootable is currently in the computer.
2. BIOS or CMOS setup is not setup properly.
3. Hard disk drive does not have bootable files on it.
4. The hard disk drive is bad or not connected properly.

Solution:

Floppy or CD that is not bootable is currently in the computer

Verify that no floppy diskette or CD is currently in the computer. If a diskette or CD is in the computer that is not bootable your computer may attempt to boot from that diskette or CD causing this error message.

BIOS is not setup properly

1. Verify that your hard disk drive is setup and detected properly in BIOS. You’re computer should list a hard disk drive installed either under the main page or the drives page in BIOS. If BIOS indicates the drive is not installed or not detected skip to Hard Disk drive is bad or not connected properly.

2. Verify the boot options are properly set in BIOS, almost all BIOS setups should contain options specifying how your computer boots. For example, most computers should have their boot options setup similar to the below example.

- Floppy drive
- CD drive
- Hard drive

3. Reset your BIOS to default values. Many BIOS will enable users to reset the values to the default settings. If you’ve tried the above options without success try resetting the BIOS.

Hard disk drive does not have bootable files on it

It is possible that command.com or another bootable file may be missing from the hard disk drive. Follow the below steps to possible resolve your issue.

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME users

1. Boot from a bootable floppy diskette.

2. At the A:> type fdisk <press enter>

3. If you receive a message no fixed disk present, read Hard Disk drive is bad or not connected properly.

4. If you are able to get into fdisk, choose option 4 to display the partition information. In the partition information, if the System is listed as FAT16 or FAT32 then continue to step 5. If you have a message indicating no partitions defined, no information is on your hard disk drive and you will need to create a new partition.

5. If you see FAT16 or FAT32 in fdisk press the ESC key until back at the A:>

6. Once at the A:> type, sys c: <press enter> (only do this command if you are using the same operating system that this diskette was created on).

7. This should return a message ‘System Transferred’, if you receive bad command or file name and have verified you have typed the command properly, you will need to obtain a bootable diskette with the file sys.com on it.

8. If system was transferred successfully, reboot the computer and issue should be resolved.

Windows 2000 and Windows XP users

1. Boot from either your ERD, your bootable Windows CD, or your bootable restore CD.
2. Once boot attempt to repair Windows. If you’re able to repair Windows remove the disks and reboot the computer.

All users

If your operating system is not listed above or the above steps did not resolve your issue you can also try erasing the hard disk drive and starting over.

The hard disk drive is bad or not connected properly

If you have attempted all above suggestions and you are still encountering the same issues, verify the connections are properly connected to the computer if the hard drive was recently installed or the computer was moved.

Unfortunately, if all connections are setup properly and all the above recommendations have been attempted, it is likely that the hard disk drive is bad and it will need to be replaced.

Removing UBUNTU

Well, I’d start by removing Grub. This is done very easily using the Win XP install cd. Put it in your CD drive, start your computer so that it boots from it. At the option sscreen, press “R” to enter rescue mode and, after getting to the command line, issue the commands

Code:

fixmbr

then
Code:

fixboot

so this deletes grub and makes Win boot by default. After booting win xp, right click on My Computer, choose manage, then go to Disk Management and simply format the partition on which edubuntu is currently installed